Dental Bridges

Problems a bridge can address

• A gap left by one missing tooth, or by a few missing teeth next to each other. The bridge fills the space and helps with chewing and appearance.
• Neighbouring teeth that need crowns anyway. The teeth next to the gap already have large fillings or need crowns. The reduction done for the bridge then overlaps with treatment those teeth need anyway.
• Wanting a fixed tooth without surgery. Fitting a bridge involves no surgery, and the bridge does not come out.

When a bridge is considered

• One tooth, or a few teeth next to each other, are missing. There are teeth at both ends of the gap that are strong enough to carry a bridge, and the gums are healthy.
• You do not want surgery, or cannot have it. You also do not want a removable tooth.

When another option is considered

• The neighbouring teeth are sound and have no fillings. A conventional bridge removes healthy tissue from these teeth, and this cannot be undone. If suitable, a resin-bonded bridge or an implant is discussed.
• The supporting teeth have untreated decay or gum disease. These are treated first. If the teeth cannot carry a bridge, a different plan is made.
• The gap is long, or there is no tooth at one end. There may not be enough teeth to carry a bridge. In that case, an implant or a partial denture is discussed.
• You clench or grind your teeth. Your dentist takes this into account when designing the bridge and deciding whether you need a night guard.

The figures in this section come from published studies, not from our own records.

Types of bridge

• Conventional bridge. The teeth on either side of the gap are reduced on every surface and crowned. The artificial tooth is attached to these two crowns. No surgery is needed. The tooth tissue removed does not grow back. This matters most when the neighbouring teeth are sound and have no fillings: preparing a sound tooth for a crown cannot be undone. If these teeth need crowns anyway, the balance changes. What a crown involves for the tooth is covered on the dental crowns page.
• Resin-bonded bridge (Maryland bridge). The artificial tooth has a thin wing at its side. This wing is bonded to the inner surface of the neighbouring tooth. Some types have a single wing bonded to one neighbouring tooth only. The tooth needs little or no drilling, and no surgery is needed. Depending on your bite, it suits some single-tooth gaps. It can come loose and may need to be bonded again. The reviews this page draws on give no survival rate for these bridges.
• Cantilever bridge. The artificial tooth is attached to a tooth on one side only. This supporting tooth is reduced and crowned. In a 2007 review, about 80 in every 100 bridges supported from one side were still in the mouth after ten years¹. For bridges supported at both ends, the figure was about 89¹. These two rates come from separate groups of studies. The review's authors regard this design as a second choice.

Materials

Bridges are made from metal-ceramic (porcelain on a metal framework) or from all-ceramic materials, such as zirconia or lithium disilicate glass-ceramic. A 2026 review of 41 studies looked at metal-ceramic and all-ceramic bridges. After five years, about 91 in every 100 metal-ceramic bridges were in place, against about 83 of lithium disilicate glass-ceramic bridges². This difference was significant. The figure of about 83 is for lithium disilicate only; the review reported zirconia bridges separately. Decay at the edges and loosening were more common with all-ceramic bridges². So it cannot be said that all ceramics last equally well. Your dentist will recommend a material based on where the gap is and on your bite.

The figures below come from published studies, not from our own records.

• Doing nothing. If a single back tooth is missing, leaving the gap is also an option. One study followed 116 untreated gaps at the back of the mouth on X-rays. On average, the gap changed by less than 1 millimetre in the first year³. After that, movement was mostly slow and small within the period the study covered. When the front teeth and premolars are in place and only molars at the back are missing, this is called a shortened dental arch. A review looked at adults in this situation who did not have the missing molars replaced. Its authors described the results for chewing and satisfaction as encouraging⁴. On the other hand, tooth loss has been linked with poorer oral health-related quality of life⁵. This is an association; it has not been shown to be the cause. If you leave the gap, have it monitored at regular check-ups.
• Partial denture. It is removable and needs no surgery. The supporting teeth usually need little or no drilling. In a review of 46 studies, of every 100 cast-clasp partial dentures, about 95 were still in use after five years⁶. The denture's effect on the supporting teeth, and more details, are on the dentures page.
• Implant. An implant is placed in the jawbone in place of the missing tooth, and a crown is made on top. The neighbouring teeth are not touched. It is a surgical procedure, and there is a wait while the bone heals. A review of 46 studies looked at implants carrying a single crown. Of every 100 implants, about 97 were in the mouth after five years and 95 after ten⁷. The crown on the implant is a separate part. In the same review, of every 100 crowns, about 96 were in use after five years and 89 after ten⁷. Staying in the mouth does not mean trouble-free use. A 2007 review found no study⁸ that compared a single implant directly with a bridge. So these rates do not show which is better for you. The types of problem also differ. With bridges, decay and nerve problems in the supporting teeth are more common. With teeth on implants, technical problems such as screw loosening and porcelain chipping were significantly more common¹. Gum problems and bone loss⁷ can also occur around an implant. An implant usually needs more than one trip. See the single-tooth implant page for details.

Bridges, partial dentures and implants are also provided by dentists in the UK. In England, the NHS lists a bridge among the treatments its highest charge band may include⁹. A UK dentist can give you an independent opinion before you decide.

The steps below are for a conventional bridge. After the examination, your dentist plans how many appointments you need and how much time passes between them. How the appointments fit a trip is covered in "If you live in the UK: appointments and travel".

For a resin-bonded bridge, the supporting tooth needs little or no drilling. The wing is bonded to the inner surface of the tooth.

Risks and complications

The figures here are from published studies, not our own records.

• Tissue loss that cannot be undone. In a conventional bridge, the supporting teeth are reduced on every surface. The enamel and dentine removed do not grow back. From then on, these teeth need a crown to protect them.
• Decay and loss of nerve vitality in the supporting teeth. In long-term studies, the main problems with conventional bridges were decay and loss of vitality of the nerve¹ in the teeth that carry the bridge. In a 2004 review, of every 100 bridges, about 3 were lost over ten years because of decay in the supporting teeth¹⁰.
• The tooth's nerve. The pooled results of 37 studies cover teeth that were vital at the start. These teeth were then treated with indirect restorations such as crowns, partial restorations or bridge supports. In about 5 in every 100 of these teeth¹¹, the pulp died. The pulp is the living tissue inside the tooth, often called the nerve. In studies with more than ten years of follow-up, the figure was about 7. The certainty of the evidence is low. If this happens, root canal treatment is needed to keep the tooth. Ask what this would mean for the bridge.
• Coming loose. In the same 2004 review, about 6 in every 100 bridges lost their cement bond¹⁰ over ten years. Resin-bonded bridges can also come loose. If a bridge is loose or has come out, the dentist looks for the cause and examines the supporting teeth.
• Fracture. The porcelain can crack or chip. Clenching raises this risk. A supporting tooth can also break; the bridge may then need replacing, or a different treatment may be needed.
• Gums. A crown edge that fits poorly at the gum line can cause gum inflammation. If the area under the bridge is not cleaned, plaque builds up there.
• Sensitivity. Temporary sensitivity to cold and heat is common after preparation. If it lasts or gets worse, it is assessed.

Benefits

• It is fixed; it does not come out.
• Fitting it involves no surgery.
• It fills the space of the missing tooth and helps with chewing and appearance.
• If the supporting teeth need crowns anyway, they are restored in the same treatment.

Limitations

• It depends on the supporting teeth. They must be sound enough to carry the bridge, and they need to stay healthy for the bridge to last.
• It does not suit every gap. A long gap, or a gap with no tooth at one end, may not have enough teeth to carry a bridge.
• It cannot be taken out for cleaning. The area under the artificial tooth has to be cleaned every day with bridge floss or an interdental brush.
• A conventional bridge cannot be undone. Once the supporting teeth have been reduced, they need a crown or a bridge to protect them from then on.

The first days

Until the anaesthetic wears off, take care not to bite your cheek or lip. There may be sensitivity to cold and heat in the first few days. If you have a temporary bridge, avoid hard and sticky foods. A new bridge can feel unfamiliar at first. If it feels high when you bite together, or the bite feels uneven, tell your dentist; the bite can be adjusted.

Cleaning under the bridge

A toothbrush cannot reach between the underside of the artificial tooth and the gum. Clean this area every day with bridge floss, with ordinary floss passed through with a floss threader, or with a small interdental brush. Bridge floss is a special floss with one stiff end that can be passed under the bridge. Your dentist or a member of the dental team will show you which suits your bridge.

In studies of cleaning between the teeth, floss and interdental brushes used in addition to toothbrushing may reduce plaque and gum inflammation¹². However, the certainty of the evidence is low. These studies did not look at cleaning under bridges separately.

Care and maintenance

• Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste. Clean carefully where the crown edge meets the gum.
• Do not bite on hard objects such as ice, pens or fingernails.
• If you clench or grind your teeth, a night guard may be recommended.
• Go for regular check-ups. The crown edges, the supporting teeth and the gums are checked, and X-rays are taken when needed. Once you are back in the UK, these check-ups are likely to be with your own dentist there.

The rates below come from published studies, not from our own records. They describe how long bridges stay in the mouth. They do not mean that no problems occurred during that time. They are averages across many studies and do not predict the outcome for any one person. A bridge has no fixed lifespan.

Conventional bridge. In a 2004 review that pooled 19 studies, of every 100 bridges, about 89 were still in the mouth after ten years¹⁰. In the same review, about 71 in every 100 bridges had no problems and needed no repair¹⁰ over ten years. This second rate rests on only four studies, and its uncertainty is wide. These data come from reviews published between 2004 and 2007.

Cantilever bridge. The ten-year rate was lower for bridges supported from one side. The figures are above, under "Bridge types and materials".

Material. The five-year rates by material are above, under "Bridge types and materials".

Resin-bonded bridge. The reviews this page draws on give no rate for these bridges, so no figure is given here.

If you have a bridge, see a dentist about:

• The bridge is loose or has come out (keep it; do not glue it back yourself)
• A bad taste or smell around the bridge
• Pain in one of the supporting teeth, pain when you bite, or pain that starts with heat and lingers
• Toothache that lasts more than 2 days¹³, or that does not go away when you take painkillers
• A crack or chip in the crown
• Gums at the edge of the bridge that bleed, swell or pull back
• Sensitivity that does not settle, or gets worse

If you have toothache together with swelling in the gum, face or jaw, or a high temperature, see a dentist the same day. Do not wait for the clinic's reply. If you think you have a dental abscess, do not wait. An abscess does not go away on its own and needs urgent treatment by a dentist¹⁴. In England, the NHS advises asking for an urgent dentist appointment or getting help from NHS 111¹⁴. If you do not have a dentist or cannot get an emergency appointment, it says to call 111 or use 111 online. Elsewhere in the UK, check the urgent dental care route where you live.

Emergencies. The NHS lists the following as needing urgent medical help¹⁴. Do not wait for a dental appointment or for the clinic's reply. In the UK, call 999 or go to A&E. In Turkey, the emergency number is 112.

• Difficulty breathing, speaking or swallowing
• A lot of swelling inside your mouth
• Swelling around your eye or in your neck¹³
• Pain in the eye, or sudden problems with your sight
• Difficulty opening your mouth

Also get urgent medical help if you think you have swallowed or breathed in the bridge or a piece of it.

Before you fly home

Make sure the final bridge has been fitted and the bite checked, and that you have been shown how to clean under it. Have written care instructions, a record of the treatment and a way to reach the clinic. If there is pain, swelling or bleeding where the treatment was done, ask your dentist before you fly.

Once you are back in the UK

If the bridge comes loose or out, keep it and do not glue it back yourself. See a dentist in the UK, usually your own. In England, an urgent NHS dental appointment can include refixing crowns and bridges⁹. For a problem that is not urgent, book an ordinary appointment with a dentist; you can also write to the clinic and send photographs. If you need urgent care and do not have a dentist, use the urgent dental care route described above (in England, NHS 111). In the emergencies above, do not wait for a reply.

Your treatment is provided by our clinic in Antalya, Turkey, and carried out there by the clinic's dentists.

In Turkey, as in the UK, a dentist does not have to be a specialist to make bridges. Turkish law authorises every dentist¹⁵ to diagnose and treat the teeth, the gums and the tissues of the mouth and jaw. It ties the specialist title to a specialist certificate¹⁵, issued and registered by the Ministry of Health¹⁶. Prosthodontics (in Turkish, protetik diş tedavisi) is one of the nine dental specialties the law sets¹⁵. Its specialist training covers fixed prostheses¹⁷, which include bridges and crowns. In the UK, dentists do not have to join a specialist list¹⁸ to practise a specialty. They may use the title "specialist" only if they are on the GDC's list.

Ask who will examine you, prepare your teeth and fit the bridge. Ask what their title is, where they qualified, and whether they hold a Ministry-registered specialist certificate in prosthodontics. Ask for the answers in writing.

A conventional bridge is usually made over several appointments, with a laboratory stage between them. The stages are preparing the supporting teeth, an impression or scan with a temporary bridge, a try-in and the fitting. A resin-bonded bridge needs little or no drilling of the supporting tooth. How many days you need in Antalya depends on the type of bridge and how many teeth it spans. It also depends on whether the supporting teeth need fillings, root canal treatment or gum treatment first. Other treatment planned in the same trip changes it too. Ask for the plan to fit the final bridge, and check the bite, before you fly home.

Before you book, ask for a written preliminary plan based on your photographs and any X-rays you send. It should set out the appointments and how many days they need. It is not a diagnosis or a final treatment plan. The General Dental Council says you should always be assessed by a qualified dentist before being given a treatment plan and cost estimate¹⁹. For a bridge, that assessment is the examination in Antalya. It confirms or changes the preliminary plan, and with it the days and the cost. If it changes, ask for the revised plan in writing before any tooth is prepared. Whether a supporting tooth needs root canal treatment is sometimes clear only after the examination and an X-ray. So ask the plan to say what would change for your trip if it does.

You can say no, or ask to stop, at any stage. Once a tooth has been prepared, that step cannot be undone, and the tooth needs a crown or a bridge to protect it. Ask what would happen if treatment stopped at that point. Ask before you book what you pay if the examination shows a bridge does not suit you, or if you decide not to go ahead.

Your care does not end when you fly home. The supporting teeth need check-ups for as long as the bridge is in place, and it may need re-cementing or repair over the years. So before you decide, ask who will look after the bridge once you are back in the UK (see below). Bridges are also made by dentists in the UK, and a UK opinion and written plan give you something to compare.

Flying. A 2023 review of flying after dental treatment suggests waiting at least 24 hours after restorative treatment, and about a week after most dental procedures²⁰. These times apply only when there is no pain, swelling or bleeding where the treatment was done. Ask your dentist how long to wait after your own treatment. The authors note that the research is limited and comes mainly from military aviation. Treat it as a starting point for your dentist's advice, not as a rule.

Your own dentist

The General Dental Council suggests talking to your own dentist¹⁹ before you go. They need to know the plan in case problems come up later. Once you are home, a problem with a bridge is usually first seen by a dentist in the UK, often your own. If you do not have one, it helps to find one before you travel.

Ask for a written record of the treatment to take back to them. It should show the type of bridge and its material, which teeth support it, any teeth treated before it, and copies of your X-rays. In Turkey, the health tourism regulation entitles international patients to an itemised bill. On request, they also get free copies of the records of the materials used, the tests and the imaging²¹. The NHS lists exchanging medical records and arranging aftercare back home²² among the things to consider before treatment abroad.

The supporting teeth need check-ups for as long as the bridge is in place. National guidance in England (NICE) says the interval between check-ups should be set for each person according to their risk²³ and discussed with them.

What the NHS does and does not do

If you later need NHS dental care in England or Wales, having been treated abroad does not by itself shut you out of it²⁴. An NHS dental practice that accepts you for a course of treatment, not only an urgent appointment, provides clinically necessary treatment, with your consent. That may not be a new bridge. However, the free repair or replacement²⁴ an NHS practice can give for its own work does not apply to work done by another provider. The NHS also states that it is not liable for negligence or failure of treatment²² when you have treatment abroad. On the NHS England routes that fund planned treatment abroad, you cannot get reimbursement for dental treatment²⁵.

The NHS guidance quoted here is for England, and for England and Wales where stated. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own NHS rules, which this page does not cover. If you live there, ask your dentist how they apply to you.

Travel insurance

The NHS says that most travel insurance policies will not cover you for planned treatment abroad, so you may need specialist cover²². Tell your insurer about your plans before you book.

The General Dental Council lists questions to ask before treatment abroad¹⁹. Below are its questions, some of them combined, with what this page can answer today and what to ask for in writing. The last question is one of our own.

1. Who will carry out my treatment, and what are their qualifications? The treatment is provided by our clinic in Antalya, Turkey. Ask for the name of the dentist who will prepare your teeth and fit the bridge. Ask where they qualified and what their title is (see "Who carries out the treatment?").
2. Will the dental team speak English, or will you provide a translator? Ask who will explain your plan and your consent form to you, and in which language.
3. Are you regulated by a professional body and registered with it? The GDC notes that it cannot guarantee that other countries have an equivalent regulator¹⁹. In Turkey, a health facility needs an authorisation certificate²¹ from the Ministry of Health to treat international patients. Authorised facilities appear in a register the Ministry publishes²⁶, so you can check it yourself. The authorisation belongs to the facility, not to the dentist, and it says nothing about the result of your treatment. Ask for the treating dentist's own registration details as well. See health tourism authorisation.
4. Is the work guaranteed, are the terms in writing, and for how long do they apply? This page makes no guarantee. Ask for the clinic's written terms for remaking a bridge and for handling complications, and read them before you commit. Check how long they apply and what they exclude. Check too what they say about a bridge that comes out or fails after you are back in the UK.
5. If there are complications, or I am unhappy with the result, what happens and who pays for further treatment, extra flights and the hotel? Is further treatment included in the cost? Ask for the answers in writing before you commit. A remade bridge usually needs laboratory time, so it can mean another trip.
6. What aftercare do you provide, and who can I contact after the treatment? For a problem that is not urgent, you write to the clinic and send photographs. Check-ups, and problems that need someone to look in your mouth, are with a dentist in the UK, usually your own. Before you travel, check that a UK dentist will see you for this, and tell them about the plan. Ask which channel to use, in which language, and how quickly you can expect a reply.
7. How many times have you carried out this treatment, what are your rates of success and complications, and can you give references? The figures on this page come from published studies, not from our own records. We publish no figures of our own yet, and this page carries no patient reviews. Ask for the clinic's figures in writing, and how they were collected.
8. Do you have insurance to cover this treatment? In Turkey a facility treating international patients must take out complication insurance for surgical and interventional procedures carried out in an operating theatre²¹. That does not by itself tell you whether your treatment is covered, so ask which procedures in your plan, if any, fall under it. Ask too, in writing, whether the clinic or the treating dentist holds insurance for complications or errors, what it covers and whom it protects.
9. Do you have a complaints system, and can I see a copy? Ask for it before treatment. Ask too which country's law applies to your treatment, and how you could make a complaint or claim from the UK. The GDC says it cannot resolve complaints or help with refunds²⁷; its investigations concern the dentists on its own register. Turkey's health tourism regulation makes the facility responsible for complications and medical malpractice arising after the health service it provided²¹.
10. If the examination shows that a bridge does not suit me, what happens, and who pays? You can say no, or ask to stop, at any stage; once a tooth has been prepared, that step cannot be undone. Ask before you book what you pay for the examination and any X-rays, and what happens to any payment if you do not go ahead.

The NHS names warning signs to think about before booking any treatment abroad. They are a hard sell, a lack of information, pressure to make a quick decision, no discussion of possible complications, and no mention of aftercare²⁵. Apply them to this clinic too. For bridges, add one of our own: a plan that proposes a conventional bridge on sound, unfilled teeth without discussing the other options.

This page carries no prices. The treatment plan is prepared for you after an examination. The main factors that shape it are:

• The type of bridge and how many teeth it spans
• The chosen material
• Any filling, root canal treatment or gum treatment the supporting teeth need before the bridge
• A temporary bridge and X-rays
• Later check-ups, re-cementing or repair
• The number of trips the appointments need

Ask for your plan in writing, including what it covers. It should say which teeth will support the bridge, and why a bridge is proposed rather than another option. Also ask what is covered if the bridge comes out or breaks. And ask who pays for further treatment and extra travel if there is a complication.

If you are comparing with a quote from a UK practice, compare what each one includes, item by item. Check too whether both propose the same type of bridge on the same teeth.